Can Spinal Adjusting Effect Cranial Nerves? They Do Not Pass Through the Spine.
Jarek Esarco
Yes, adjusting the spine can effect cranial nerves because a vertebral subluxation of the spine effects how the Nerve System functions overall.
For purposes of learning anatomy, or the structures of the body, we often group sections of the body into smaller parts for easier study. The Nerve System is divided into different systems, organs, tissues and cells. Even though it is divided up in this way, it is still all one Nerve System.
Anatomically speaking, cranial nerves do not pass through the spine. But physiologically speaking, cranial nerves do communicate and connect with nerves that do pass through the spine. Quoting from the Professor of Neurology at the Palmer School of Chiropractic, Dr. H. C. Chance, D.C., Ph.C:
“Clinically, all cranial nerves have a spinal connection. However, anatomically, not much is known. For example, the anatomist has not made this connection with the acoustic nerve, but its spinal connection was proved clinically when D. D. Palmer adjusted Harvey Lillard, and this was the basis of the discovery of the science of Chiropractic. Since that time we have repeatedly obtained results through other cranial nerves by adjusting the spine.”
Clinical observations are glimpses into how the anatomy functions physiologically. How life animates material structure.
Cranial nerves innervate many different systems, organs, glands and tissues of the body. Spinal nerves innervate many different systems, organs, glands and tissues of the body as well. Cranial nerves and spinal nerves meet up at the same systems, organs, glands and tissues of the body and supply functions to them. Cranial nerves and spinal nerves also share similar pathways en route to innervate different systems, organs, glands and tissues of the body. Quoting Dr. R.W. Stephenson, D.C.:
“The first (upper) six [cranial nerves] constitute a rather closely related group, which communicate with each other have axons joining them from the Visceral System through the carotid and cavernous plexuses. The last (lower) six form another group closely related, communicating with each other, chief through the ganglia in and near the jugular foramen, and have axons joining them from the Visceral System, through the superior cervical ganglia. Owing to the efferent nerves which join the cranial nerve conduits from the Visceral System, functional communication from the spinal system is established. Therefore, impingements upon spinal nerves do interfere with transmission of mental impulses to exactly the same tissue regions supplied by cranial nerves. This, then, produces incoordination in those tissues.”
Chiropractors focus on the spine because it is the main conduit for nerve transmission and communication for system, organ, gland and tissue innervation. But nerve transmission and communication does not end there. Or start there for that matter. Quoting again from Dr. H. C. Chance, D.C., Ph.C.:
“The real origins or determinations of spinal nerves, cranial nerves and peripheral visceral nerves are in the cortex of the brain.”
In general, the brain stores information and produces electricity. The brain uses nerve fibers in the form of spinal nerves, cranial nerves and peripheral visceral nerves to send out that information to the body. Quoting Dr. Harry Vedder, DC:
“Not only do we think through our brain, but the impulse resulting from this thought is transmitted through the spinal cord or cranial nerves, is conveyed through the spinal nerves, ganglia, etc., and is expressed through the tissue cells which function because of it.”
There are also nerve fibers at every organ, gland and tissue of the body that send information back up to the brain for interpretation. All the trillions of nerves that make up the Nerve System communicate with each other and the brain in a complete, unbroken cycle.
If there is a breakdown in communication anywhere along that nerve cycle, miscommunication can happen throughout. A major contributor to “communication breakdown” is a vertebral subluxation. A vertebral subluxation interferes with the normal transmission, communication and interpretation of Nerve System impulses.
An important meet-up point in the cycle of nerve communication occurs at the upper cervical spine. The upper cervical spine protects and surrounds the lower portion of the medulla oblongata. Quoting once again from Dr. H.C. Chance, D.C.:
“[The medulla oblongata] is the connection of brain with spinal cord. It has located within it many nucleii which are the nucleii of origin or nucleii of termination of many of the cranial nerves.”
The goal of Chiropractic is to improve the potentiality of the entire Nerve System, not just nerves localized in the spinal column, by adjusting the vertebral subluxation. A spinal adjustment is the means, optimizing Nerve System function is the end.
Jarek Esarco, DC, CACCP is a pediatric, family wellness and upper cervical specific Chiropractor. He is an active member of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Dr. Jarek has postgraduate certification in Pediatric Chiropractic through the ICPA. Dr. Jarek also has postgraduate certification in the HIO Specific Brain Stem technique through The TIC Institute. Dr. Jarek is happily married to his wife Regina. They live in Youngstown, Ohio with their daughter Ruby.